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PLRX | 96 Corvettes with Fiberglass Trailing Arms Please Read | ||
Senior Guru
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If you ever purchased aftermarket bushings from VB&P for your 96 with fiberglass trailing arms (TA) read this post.
[IMG]http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj290/plrx/PLRX%20LT4/Suspension/CELT4113.jpg[/IMG] If you have the fiberglass TA you may ran into an issue that the bushings were too small for the trailing arms. [IMG]http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj290/plrx/PLRX%20LT4/Suspension/CELT4117.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj290/plrx/PLRX%20LT4/Suspension/CELT4118.jpg[/IMG] Likely you called the vendor and they convinced you to mail them the TAs to VB&P in Florida for them to make "custom" bushings. Check on your Vette's rear, if you have play and the bearings are good there is a possibility (100% on my case) that your bushings are gone. My bushings are two years old, not even 10,000 miles and are gone, ripped. Why? because they did a band aid job, they just tapped the TA with the head of some bushing and stuck the hallow rod leaving an empty space in the center of the trailing arms bolt area. I ordered adjustable new trailing arms from Van Steel, I'm not going to deal with them again. Check your Vette, be safe [IMG]http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj290/plrx/PLRXIcon.jpg[/IMG] |
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Posted on: 2011/2/11 2:33
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bogus | Re: 96 Corvettes with Fiberglass Trailing Arms Please Read | ||
Grand Imperial Pooh-Bah
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DAMN. That's poor. I skipped the poly kit and went straight for Banski. No question it was the best thing to do!
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Posted on: 2011/2/11 3:36
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The single biggest problem with communication is the illusion that it has taken place. - George Bernard Shaw Education is the best tool to overcome irrational fear. - me |
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pianoguy | Re: 96 Corvettes with Fiberglass Trailing Arms Please Read | ||
Guru Emeritus
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Wow, that blows - thanks much for the heads-up!
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Posted on: 2011/2/11 4:19
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1996 LT4 �Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticize them, you are a mile away from them and you have their shoes.�- Jack Handey |
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Matatk | Re: 96 Corvettes with Fiberglass Trailing Arms Please Read | ||
Webmaster
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Sorry to hear that! I'm surprised because I'd usually heard good things about VBP (although they were expensive). Hopefully the new setup works out better for you.
Matthew |
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Posted on: 2011/2/11 13:03
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2002 EBM convertible, Magnusson supercharger, cam, headers, etc. 1989 Corvette...RIP |
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pr0zac | Re: 96 Corvettes with Fiberglass Trailing Arms Please Read | ||
Elite Guru
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i just realized the other day that those things are fiberglass on my car.. i always thought they were aluminum.
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Posted on: 2011/2/11 16:09
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96 lt4. 357ci, 11:1, LE 226/232, LE2 LT4 heads, ported LT4 intake, EM Gladiator44, EM LT's, stock exhaust, NX kit. |
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PLRX | Re: 96 Corvettes with Fiberglass Trailing Arms Please Read | ||
Senior Guru
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Quote:
All but, 1996. I think it was a change to mule the F45 system. Thats going to change, the new ones are already in-route. |
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Posted on: 2011/2/11 17:24
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PLRX | Re: 96 Corvettes with Fiberglass Trailing Arms Please Read | ||
Senior Guru
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Here it is finally got some time to download and load etc etc
This is where the play is: [IMG]http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj290/plrx/PLRX%20LT4/Suspension/Bushing%20Failure/BushingFailure.jpg[/IMG] Look at the gap inside the bushing. A reminder that VBP requested for me to send these TAs back to them for them to properly install the correct bushing. [I]Key words: properly install the proper part.[/I] [IMG]http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj290/plrx/PLRX%20LT4/Suspension/Bushing%20Failure/BushingFailure1.jpg[/IMG] The trailing arm measures at 34.70 mm. [IMG]http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj290/plrx/PLRX%20LT4/Suspension/Bushing%20Failure/BushingFailure2.jpg[/IMG] The bushings are way short at 28.61 mm. [IMG]http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj290/plrx/PLRX%20LT4/Suspension/Bushing%20Failure/BushingFailure4.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj290/plrx/PLRX%20LT4/Suspension/Bushing%20Failure/BushingFailure5.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj290/plrx/PLRX%20LT4/Suspension/Bushing%20Failure/BushingFailure6.jpg[/IMG] I looked at the bushing very closely and found more defects. Looks like "they" don't really had the correct part for the 1996 Corvette TAs. They had to patch it up so they grabbed an already made bushing not for a Corvette and cut it up with a utility knife and made the hole for the sleeve bigger. The bushing structure was compromised plus the gap inside didn't help. [IMG]http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj290/plrx/PLRX%20LT4/Suspension/Bushing%20Failure/BushingFailure7.jpg[/IMG] yes, I know. Gimp doesn't do spell check:leaving: What bothers me? Bothers me that I ordered for a 96 at the time a 12 year old car. Not like I was the very first person ordering poly bushings for a Vette. Bothers me that I had to pay shipping to send the TAs to Florida for their mistake. Bothers me that they sent them ready to be installed with the sleeve in and bothered me even more I didn't checked it. Bothers me that this could have ended up in an accident with the high possibility of me going down a cliff or crash on a mountain. Bothers me that this could have been other guy that is not mechanically inclined and he would have to pay a mechanic to fix this mess. I get to save on labor but, I loose my time, lost money and had to postpone my alignment. If you have a 96 and you installed bushings from this company get up and check on your Corvette now!!! The company is a CF Supporting Vendor so I'm not going to bash them. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IjU7Ha17BQ |
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Posted on: 2011/2/12 3:04
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